This Castlevania installment allows you to pick which order you'd like to complete the initial four stages. Since the first four have no particular order, nor do they offer a ny Mega Man-style rewards, I'll be listing them in the order in which I usually complete them.

Crystal Castle

                    

This entire castle is comprised of pure crystal. The first area has tide-changing water with ravens hovering all around and crystal platforms that break apart as you walk on them. Another watery area follows that has fishmen jumping all around. Next you'll have to slide down ropes, timing it so you can dodge the spike walls that move back and forth. A split path follows: The first has a room with a knife lizard, with more water with fishmen jumping about below; the other has more crystal platforms that break apart as you walk on them. Both lead to rooms with two Octos. The eerie music signals that the boss is near.

                    

Music Track(s)

Stage Track: New Messiah
Boss Lead-In: Road to the Enemy
Boss Track: Evil Gods

Boss(es)

End Boss: Darkside

Lesser Enemies

Fishman, Knight | Bat | Big Bat | Knife Lizard | Punaguchi | Rolling Eye | Raven | Octo

Cloud Castle

                    

The long entrance into the castle has many ravens flying around. Inside, you'll have to maneuver across ropes attached to spiked balls, them raising as you climb. Other obstacles here are knights, bats and moving platforms. In the next area, you have to climb down and around a wall, dodging the up-and-down-moving spike-lined floor at the bottom. A single knife lizard lies before a room filled with pulleys that you must climb, all of which switch directions as you're doing so. The last danger is the punaguchis that ride the platforms on the path to the boss.

                    

Music Track(s)

Stage Track: Praying Hands
Boss Lead-In: Road to the Enemy
Boss Track: Evil Gods

Boss(es)

End Boss: Angel Mummy

Lesser Enemies

Raven | Big Bat | Bat | Zeldo | Knight | Octo | Knife Lizard | Punaguchi

Plant Castle

                    

First you have to cross a bridge infested with undermoles. A couple of tricky, spike-lined caves lurk ahead. You'll then come to a bridge with rolling eyes atop, punaguchis below. Hitting the eyes makes them explode, leaving holes in the bridge. Next is another bridge, with rolling eyes again on top but with mad men in the grassy area below. Yet another bridge lurks beyond, rolling eyes atop, punaguchis below; you have to blow open a hole downward to proceed on. In the next room, you can destroy the spiders (you don't have to) and climb on their spindles. The boss chamber is ahead, and rolling eyes and punaguchis clutter it up.

                    

Music Track(s)

Stage Track: Ripe Seeds
Boss Lead-In: Road to the Enemy
Boss Track: Evil Gods

Boss(es)

End Boss: Kumulo and Nimbler

Lesser Enemies

Spider | Rolling Eye | Big Bat | Bat | Octo | Rope Skeleton | Undermole | Madman | Punaguchi

Rock Castle

                    

The Rock Castle becomes more and more dangerous as you move deeper into it. You'll find pulleys that descend as you climb on them--bowing to your weight--and more exploding eyeballs. As you do get deeper in, the candles are the only source for light, so hitting them will result in the screen going dark; letting the lights go out make you susceptible to falling in pits as well as being susceptible to enemies, such as the mollusks, who come alive when light is scarce. The boss is waiting for you after a long drop down.

                    

Music Track(s)

Stage Track: Psycho Warrior
Boss Lead-In: Road to the Enemy
Boss Track: Evil Gods

Boss(es)

End Boss: Iron Doll

Lesser Enemies

Undermole | Bat | Madman | Rolling Eye | Mollusk | Punaguchi | Knife Lizard

Stage 5: Castle Entrance

                    

The long entrance into Castlevania is guarded by many ravens and zeldos. Once inside, there are a couple instances of rooms where you have climb upward on long spike-tipped platforms that shoot out from the walls, with assorted enemies guarding each. Next is a long climb down a vertical area with rope skeletons, knights and bats. Another room of shooting spike platforms rests before a split path: Going upward leads to several areas requiring tricky jumps, but it leads back to where you started; going down leads to similar-looking areas (a visual trap) that do lead to an exit. Thereafter, only mad men populate the boss' chamber.

                    

Music Track(s)

Stage Track: Original Sin
Boss Lead-In: Road to the Enemy
Boss Track: Evil Gods

Boss(es)

End Boss: Bone Dragon King

Lesser Enemies

Raven | Zeldo | Big Bat | Bat | Knight | Punaguchi | Rope Skeleton | Madman

Stage 6: The Chapel

                    

The initial hall has several moving platforms and knights blocking the way. Ahead, there are two rooms with huge, crushing spike beds; you have to destroy the device that connects them to the ceiling to walk atop them and move on. The next several rooms hold all sorts of other spike-lined traps. Moving on, you'll venture into a pulley room similar to the one in Cloud Castle, with knights present. The final hall has knights, ravens, zeldos, crystal platforms that break apart as you walk on them, and spiders whose spindles you must climb. Punaguchis are the final foes before the Marble Gallery-type chamber leading to the boss.

                    

Music Track(s)

Stage Track: Passpied
Boss Lead-In: Soleiyu's Room
Boss Track: Chromastische Phantasie

Boss(es)

End Boss: Soleiyu-Demon

Lesser Enemies

Knight | Spider | Raven | Punaguchi | Zeldo | Big Bat | Bat

Stage 7: Final Leg

                    

This quick-breather of a stage definitely challenges for the title of "Shortest Ever. There isn't much to it except for the cool visuals-- the scary sickle-wielding skeletons that populate the background. The final bridge represents an opportunity to power up the whip and grab yourself a sub-weapon before you trigger the ultimate battle. When you come to a gap, you're there. Simply drop down into the small shrine below and whip the single candelabra; doing so will beckon the appearance of the Prince of Darkness and prompt the final battle.

Music Track(s)

Stage Track: Road to the Enemy #2
Boss Track: Sons of Satan

Boss(es)

End Boss: Dracula

Lesser Enemies

There are no minor enemies in this stage.

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